Bequest by Rowena Wiseman

Leonard wants to bequeath his tattooed skin to the National Gallery of Australia. He has been almost completely inked by one of Australia's best contemporary artists, but he is a canvas that nobody wants. Then, strange things start happening to Leonard: Darwin’s moth—a tattoo from his calf—flutters around him one night; he wakes with a Cold War gas mask on his head; Mao Zedong appears in his bed. Tattoos from his skin come alive before him and he becomes more convinced than ever that his skin is truly precious.

Hey! Here's my review.

I devoured this in one sitting. The writing is dark and engaging, prompting me to keep turning pages (well, swiping the screen). It is a short story that combines character study and plot with a surreal twist, leaving me satisfied at the end. I didn't really like Leonard, but I empathised with him. 

I was amazed to find out it was inspired by a true story of a man from Sydney who wanted to donate his heavily tattooed skin to the museum. In real life, the story turn out quite different to this one. 

★★★★★ 

• Where: Amazon
• Format: ebook

Purchase link

Amazon